New diagnosis of AF and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

[Anabel21]

Hi, my 48 yr old husband has recently been diagnosed with AF and I think, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I say I think because he was in hospital having tests and I couldn’t be there. When he came out he was in such a state and didn’t have the correct discharge note. He is extremely anxious about the whole situation and it is really getting him down. He told me that his EF was 47% . Can this be graded in to mild, moderate or severe? He is on 7 tablets including a water tablet which the nurse said he will be on forever. He had a telephone consultation with the nurse and he came away from it very upset. He has a blood test today ( should have been done a few weeks ago), a chest X-ray next month, a repeat echo in 6 months and follow up. He didn’t really have any symptoms before going into hospital, apart from AF which was picked up years ago but nothing was really done about it. He went into hospital generally feeling unwell( possible migraine) and came out with this diagnosis. His HF nurse seems to be very negative about it and he thinks this is a death sentence. He has made good lifestyle changes and has promised to go to all appointments and have tests done. Has anyone paid to see their consultant privately? Did it help?

Is anyone in the same situation? Any advice would be great . Thanks .

[SarahJLD]

He needs to contact the consultants secretary and ask for a copy of his correct discharge letter, failing that contact GP and ask for him to go through the letter he received and ask him to explain the diagnosis. If this is done as a phone consultation you can put it on speaker and join in.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy isn’t a death sentence if that is his diagnosis. He may need to make some lifestyle changes if he finds somethings give him symptoms.

Cardiomyopathy U.K. have a great website and helpline

[Golfer21]

I am guessing your husband heard someone mention hypertrophic cardiomyopathy but cannot be certain it was a diagnosis. Firstly an EF of 47% is only just below the norm of 50 to 70%. Mine is 42% and nobody is jumping up and down. The phrase moderate left ventricular impairment was used in my diagnosis. I have also read an EF between 40 and 49% described as "borderline". You have to bear in mind that AF can result in a lower EF because the heart is generally out of kilter. Sarah is right, you need to contact the consultant's secretary. Ask her to email a copy of the letter to your husband. Depending on what tests were carried out, the letter may say further are required to eliminate other possible causes for what I would consider as a mild reduction in normal EF. You say AF was diagnosed years ago. I would urge your husband to press for treatment. The consultant should be considering a cardioversion or maybe an ablation. Both are common and low risk procedures.